Metallurgical apparatus.



W. BRYANT.

METALLURGIUAL APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION rILBD JAN.17,1912.

Patented May 13, 1913.

mwmw? I nvcm/M z William Byant WILLIAM BRYANT, OF MASSILLON, OHIO.

METALL'URGICAL APPARATUS.

meinen.

- specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Way 13, 191 3.

Application filed January 17, 1912. Serial No. 671,681.

To all whom, 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM BnYAN'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Massillon, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio7 have invented a certain new and useful Metallurgical Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to pyrite smelting, or the smelting of sulfid ores carrying gold, silver, copper, or other metallic values, the object being to utilize the sulfur, iron and other fuel elements contained in the ore to furnish heat for self-smelting, without extraneous fuel, as nature has supplied these elements in abundance for4 this purpose.

The object of the invention, thus stated in general terms, is attained by introducing the ores and fluXes in a mixed state into a heated furnace, wherein they form an agglomerated core, and by subjecting the core thus formed on all sides to the action of the heat caused by the combustion of the selfcontained fuel.

A preferred form of furnace for carrying out the improved process is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming part hereof, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation section of the furnace; 'and Fig. 2, a plan view thereof, showing one side in section on line 2-2,

imilar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawing.

The furnace is preferably formed with a cylindric wall 1 having a solid bottom 2 and an arched cover 3 in which is centrally located the charging hopper ll which is pro- Vided with the gate 5 and the removable cover 6 in the usual manner.

The mixing Chamber 7 is formed in the` upper part of the cavity of the furnace, and the refining chamber 8 is formedin the lower part thereof, between which chambers is located the smelting Chamber 9. Around the wall of the smelting Chamber are built inward a series of radial partitions or ribs having their inner or free edges spaced apart, which ribs form a series of flues or Channels 10 extending from the mixing Chamber above to the refining Chamber below. The inner or free edges of the ribs furthermore constitute a vertically slotted retaining wall, forming what may be called the core chamber. It will be understood,

however, that the scope of the invention is not limited to the use of a vertically slotted retaining wall, the essential object of the inventlon being attained by the use of any form of apertures or openings to give open communication between the flues and the core chamber.

The mixing Chamber is preferably of larger diameter than the refining Chamber, as shown, and the inside wall of the furnace is preferably tapered from the larger diameter of the mixing Chamber at the upper end of the smelting Chamber to the smaller diameter of the refining Chamber at about the middle of the smclting Chamber, thus enlarging the upper end of the Vertical flues; and the edges of the lower end portions of the Vertical ribs are beveled inward to form a bosh at the lower end of the core retaining wall for sustaining or Carrying the ore in the core chamber.

The air inlet tube 11 is connected with Ineans (not shown) for pre-heatingthe airsay toabout 1000 to 1200 F. and opens into the side of the mixing Chamber; the flue 12 leads from the upper' portion of the refining chamber to the stack 13; the tap hole 14 leads from the bottom of the refining chamber, and the slag spout 16 leads from the middle part of the refining chamber. It will be understood that either or both a forced draft through the inlet tube 01' a natpral draft through the stack, may be cmploycd to operate the furnace.

In use, the furnace is first heated to about 1200O F., by a suitable carbonaceous fuel, as Wood or coal burned in the relining chamber, and the ore, mixed with the proper l'luxes, is introduced through the charging hopper until the core Chamber is filled; in which Chamber the .mixed ores are roasted, and agglomerated by the heating and softening of the sulfur contained in the ores to form a core; it being understood that the ore will be temporarily sustained in the core Chamber` by resting on the Wood or coal in the refining Chamber, until the core is sufliciently agglomerated to be sustained by the bosh in the core chamber. lt will be understood, however, that the furnace may be employed for reducing oxidizcd ores mixed with carbonaceous fuels, by the same process in the same furnace, in which event the core of ore will not completely agglomerate, but the orewill beheld in a mass by the retaining Wall and the bosh of the core chamber. i

The heated volatiley gases comingv from the ores rise into the mixing Chamber wherein they are mixed With the incoming pre-heated air and effect a partial Combustion, thereby further heating the incoming air and also heating and roasting the upper and |Central portions of the Core. The draft of the furnace then Carries the partially Combusted gases downwa'rdv through the vertical flues or ChannelsV surrounding thev core, and the taperedl Shape of*V thev upper part of the'smelting Chamber serves to/posit-ively defiect the ,gases'` and impinge the sides of the core therewith; and the further `combustion of these'gases, coupledwith'the combustonof the volatile gasesg'v coming from the sides of the core, results in asmelting action-and, reduces theforesV in the pe-` ripheral and lower portions of the core, the` heating andthereby the smelting action-,being gradually increased tov a maximum at the'lower end of the smelting' Chamber.

The reduced ore from the peripheral*and*V bottom portions'ofthe core runs down" in the form of matte, either through the fiues' or Channels,4 or, whenthe diameter of' the' core becomes reduced, from- Withinfthecore: Chamber, into the refining chamber'fwhere-` in the partially Consumed gases drawn down through'V the vertical flu'e's are'im'ore completely Combusted, thereby oxidizingfi and refining the molten matte into metal, it being understood that the Consumed gases pass ofl" through the flues, and'thatthe slag,

as it is formed, passes' ofi' or is'reinoved through the slag/spout.

As the' metal is 'I refined, it is'dr'awn ofl: throughl the tap hole, and, as the'core reduced and subsides in the'core Chamber,v

the'same is re-charged from time to time so that the roasting and smeltingll operation may be continuously performed, Withoutthe' use of extraneous fuels after the 4preliminary heating of the furnace. It' will be understood that one of the important fea=` tures of increa'sed efiiciency inthe improved process andapparatus is the fac'tthat sub-` i stantially the whole of the exterior of' theV mass or Coreof4 ores is' subjected to the direct action of the gases of combust-ion arising from the ores, mixed with the pre?v v heated Oxygen supplied through the inlet/ tube.

In the operation of the furnace, thev heat; l therein causes the ores to become sti'cky and- `mass in the core chamber. At about 250 at about 600 F. the agglomeration takes place; And as the roasting progresses, the ,incoming preheated air causes a 'Combustion of the sulfuric acid gas coming from the ores, thereby producing the reducing fiame for smeltingf and refining the ores and matte into metal.

I claim:

below, and a'n intervening smeltingcham- ;smeltinig' Chamberl in open communication with all'the Chambers.v

mixing Chamber above'a refining Chamber ibelow, and an intervening smelting cham- =ber,itherev beingseries of spaced radial ribs in thev wallv of the smelting` Chamber 'forming a series of Channels communicating with the upper' and'lower chambers.

mixing- ChamberV` above", 'a refining` Chamber Zbelow, and anintervening' smeltingl-Cham- `'ber,- there' beinga' seriesv of' space'd* radial *ri'bsi in' theiwall of the' smelting Chamber form'ing: a`` series of Channels communicatinglwithV the 'upper Iand |-lo'i'i'rer chambe'rs, 'the edges 'of thelower' portionsV of the 'ribs being beveled to form a bosh. i w

4:, ,A metallurgical* furnace' mixing Chamberv above, a re'finingV Chamber below,A andl an'`` intervening?v smelting'V chamber, there being a series of spaeed radial Copies of this patentmayV be obtained for five 'cents each, by'a'di'essingstiiet'f Coiniisionefot Patent,

Washington, D. C."

1. A metallurgical furnace including a `mixing Chamber above, a refinlng Chamber o ber, therelbeing Channels] in the wall' of the' 3; A metallurgical' furnacel including' a o including I a i smeary, thereby` forming an agglomeratedy F. the sulfur gases begin to volatilize, and w 2. A`Inetallurgical furnace including a I r'libsl in the; wall of the smelting'2 Chamber o 'forming a series'lof channelscommunicating :With the upper`` and lower Chambers, theV 

